Preventing Roommate Problems

I haven’t ever really been someone who has liked having a roommate, but it is almost necessary to have one with the high cost of living in California. My roommate and I started off very rocky because we’re very different, but we came up with a few ways to make our living situation better for both of us! Check out these suggestions if you need ideas on how to get along with your roommate.

1. White Board Communication

If your schedules are opposite or communication isn’t strong, get a white board or sticky notes. This way you can relay important information and you don’t have to worry about unread texts or not seeing each other. This helps my roommate and I if a bill is coming up, she’s going to have friends over, or she’s going out of town!

2. Lost & Found

We had a big problem of getting mad at each other for leaving our stuff in the common areas. Now, we have a lost and found bin that we put each other’s stuff in so that the common areas are clean. If I’m missing something, I can most likely find it in the bin!

3. Bills

This may not work for everyone, but we downloaded this app called Splitwise, which allows us to see who still owes what amount for bills. This leaves us both accountable and makes the amount we’re paying clear and visible so there isn’t any confusion.

4. Designated Shelves

In the kitchen, we have her stuff on one set of shelves, and my stuff on the other. This way there is no confusion about who bought what item. This makes things a lot easier if you’re in a home where you don’t split the groceries!

Living with another person can be hard, so you have to be proactive to make a positive living situation. I hope these simple steps will be helpful.